Pushing a couple of calves out of the way of the gate as I make my way into field 34. Passing peaceful grazing cows admiring the view out to Old Harrys Rock, with a fresh breeze cutting through the warmth of the sun. Fleabane seed heads sway gently in the breeze, hidden amongst the long the grass.
The twinkling of Goldfinch floats down as the bob along the horizon, flashes of gold catching in the sun. the hedgerows are still laden with slows of Blackthorn and haws of Hawthorns. While Oldman’s Beard smothers those not in fruit, covered in its fluffy white seed heads making the hedgerows appear snow covered.
Looking out towards Herrin Ground from Taskers, my morning takes a turn as I notice three cows having a lovely time munching on some Ivy somewhere they are not meant to be. Heading over and shooing them back into the correct field and closing the gate behind them. Thankfully they hadn’t made it past the gateway, distracted by the tasty Ivy.
Heading through the field they are now in to check the trough and the boundary; I flush a cock Pheasant that takes off in the usually dramatic Pheasant fashion. Tough all working I check the fence line to find park of it down where the tractor had come through to cut the grass earlier in the year. Fixing the fence best I could with the resources I had (a bit of bailer twine, the farmers multi tool). Hopefully the cows don’t know how to undo knots.
Now with not a lot of time left I head pack shoes covered in due from the long grass, I’m sure the cows will enjoy munching on. I spot a Stone Chat atop a Blackthorn stem, observing its surroundings while a noisy Wren shouts from somewhere below. A small flock of Linnets bounces over the meadow ahead of me before they all dive into the scrub and out of sight.